Definitions of the Self
by skywolf666
Summary: It didn't matter that it had all been a part of the plan, because when she looked up at the haze faded from her mind and eyes, she knew she had scarred him for life. Then had come the truth from the lips of the woman who looked so much like her, and she almost laughed as her former fears and worries faded in comparison to the simple truth; she was Grima, and she had hurt Chrom.


Chrom couldn't find her anywhere. He was rather sure he'd searched every inch of the camp for the dark-haired tactician, but to his immense frustration and growing concern, he simply couldn't track her down. That in and of itself wasn't always a strange occurrence, as Skye was often doing menial tasks and chores whenever she had time to spare between strategy meetings and briefings, but her disappearance now was anything but normal.

Raising a hand to his bandaged chest, Chrom frowned unconsciously as he felt the seeping pain that his wound still had left him with. A number of healers from the camp had attended to him already, but despite their best efforts, the injury would eventually scar, and badly. Lissa had scowled deeply when she had moved her staff away from her work, and her eyes shone with pain and frustration when she'd apologized and explained to him that this was beyond even her ken.

"_I know you don't want to hear this, and I don't even want to say it... but it's bad, Chrom. It'll heal well, it wasn't as grievous a wound as it could've been, but... it won't ever fade. It will be a scar you'll have to carry for the rest of your life."_

He didn't mind so much of the scar, as he had many wrapping around his body from the countless battles he'd fought, won and lost. He couldn't even remember where he had gotten half of them now, but as he felt the throb of the still-healing wound, he knew why it was so different with this one. It would heal eventually, and he wouldn't be lamed by it... but always it would serve as a grim reminder of what Skye had nearly done to him.

His hand curled into a tight fist, and he let out a gruff bark of a sigh as the dull throb in his skin brought him back to that terrible moment inside of the Dragon's Table. She had fallen hard, pushing him out of the way of Validar's spell and taking the brunt of it for herself to save his life. In a near panic he'd run to her side, forgetting all else as he dropped to his knees beside her and helped her sit up again. For a brief moment as he'd seen the dark magic strike her head-on, he had thought he would lose her, and he knew already from numerous brushes with death that anything could be done to his body, but he never would recover if she died on him. Because of him.

But she'd forced herself upright with his tender arm, winded and bleeding, but alive. His relief had only been eclipsed by his shock when she'd doubled over again, groaning with pain and gripping at her head with shaking hands. Then she'd moved forward, her body no longer her own and her eyes frighteningly dull as a dagger of electricity was formed in her hand and plunged deep in his chest.

Chrom knew she'd checked herself the moment he'd been struck, knew she had prepared for it and fought with every ounce of her being... but still, she hadn't had the ability to hold herself completely back. That dagger had meant to kill him, and only the slightest twitch of her hand, the slightest lack of focus had saved his life. He hadn't feigned his pain, or his collapse, and he hated to admit that when his daughter and son had questioned him later in the healer's tent. But he wouldn't lie to them, not when they had believed him dead and had for the most agonizing of moments, thought that both of their parents were out of their reach.

With Grima's return to the world and everyone completely and utterly spent from such a brutal onslaught at the Dragon's Table, they had set up camp and tried to rest their wounds. Beyond a split moment when he'd hugged her tight out of sheer delight to see her cunning in action once again when she'd retrieved the Fire Emblem when all others hadn't thought to do so, Skye had refused his touch and gaze. She avoided him almost as if she was scared that she still couldn't be trusted, even though Validar was dead and Grima's influence on her was no longer a danger with the new host having reclaimed much of its former power.

As he stood in the middle of the campground, a hand on his chest and his mind growling with dark thoughts and memories, Chrom had a moment of worry that she had simply left them. That she had packed her things and slipped away to meet her fate alone, refusing to draw any of her loved ones further into her battle. He shook the thought from his mind as quickly as it had come, reminding himself that her love for her comrades far surpassed his own, and that she would never walk away from them. She hadn't when she had been given the choice many times before, and though she had suffered from the knowledge of her blood and what she had done to him once before by stealing the Fire Emblem... She had still stayed beside him because he'd expressed his belief in her strength.

'Skye...'

Sighing with a mixture of defeat and pain, Chrom put his faith in her again and called off his search. He was tired, and though he did want to find her, to console her like he knew she needed... She was hiding for a reason, and would come to him eventually as she always did. It would do no good to seek her out if she wouldn't speak to him when she was found, and he trusted her enough to give her the space she wanted until she was in a better frame of mind to see him and lay her heart bare.

Running a hand tiredly through his hair, Chrom made his way back to his tent, noting the anxious glances of his comrades as he passed them by. He knew what thoughts were in their mind, and though it hurt a bit due to the cause, he was gladdened of their concern for him and their tactician. Skye had long ago received their love, and she answered to it with her own, passionate and unyielding. It was why they followed her without question, why so many of them could speak at ease with her and knew her more as kin than friend. They did not worry because they thought she was mad, or they thought she deserted them... but because they loved her and hoped she would recover and trust in herself as they all trusted in her.

As he pushed open the door to his tent, Chrom felt three things go through him simultaneously as his eyes fell on the woman he had been searching for since his release sitting on their shared cot, her head in her hands as she shivered and shook with silent sobs. The first was relief, a profound gladness to see her there in front of him and banish the last remaining clawing worry that she had fled. The second was fright, worry that something had finally broken underneath her fearless and blithe mask after all of the torment she had endured without ever once letting herself falter. The last was pain, and it made him want to join her in her tears as he knew she had been in complete and utter anguish ever since she had let her eyes clear and saw what she had done to him.

Acting on instinct, Chrom went quickly to her side, kneeling down in front of her as he reached up with tender hands to hold the ones she was burying her face in. She flinched at his touch but didn't look up, her body stiffening a little to prove she wasn't pleased to feel him. His voice was quiet, a pain-filled sigh yet also a murmur of fondness as he whispered her name and reached up to brush her hair from her face so he could see it, "Skye..."

"Don't touch me."

Her reply was agonized, tight with tears and fury and grief, and Chrom fully ignored it as he pulled her hands gently but firmly away from her face. She fought him, pulling back, but he was stronger than she was and didn't let her win as his fingers curled into her wrists to become shackles. She drew away as her hands were forced into her lap, trying to turn her head so he wouldn't see the long tracks of tears that stained her cheeks and gave wordless evidence of the pain she had been trying to carry in silence.

Keeping her hands firmly on her knees with one of his hands, he raised the other to brush back her bangs which had swept once more over her face. She cringed away from his touch, trying to escape him, but again he refused to let her, forcing her to submit to his action as he denied her with a firm one-word answer. "No."

Shivering with the force of her grief, Skye tried once more to pull her hands loose, but Chrom's hand tightened almost painfully in their grip and she didn't try again. She could only sit with closed eyes as he began drying her face with his bare fingers, tracing the marks of her shame with such tenderness that she thought her heart would break again. His touch was light, impossibly soft, and part of her was glad for his kindness even though she felt a surge of disgust for her selfishness. She couldn't open her eyes to look at him, knowing it would kill her to do so, and she tried to still the sobs burning in her chest and worsening her trembling.

As if he knew what she was trying to do, she heard him shifting his position and then both hands cupped her face. He leaned in close, and then his lips touched her eyelids in a soft kiss that in any other circumstances, would have successfully broken down the last of her defences. The tears came anew, and angrily she jerked herself away from him, ripping her hands free and snarling as she pushed him away from her and shot to her feet, "Stop it! You know what I am now! You know _who _I am! Don't you dare touch me as if it doesn't make a difference!"

Realizing he had been completely off the mark to why she had secluded herself from them all, Chrom felt his own anger growing in answer to her snarl. Tears shone on her cheeks as they fell unheeded from her blazing dark-brown gaze, and she challenged him wordlessly to rebuke her. She was trembling as she dared him to speak, and Chrom forced himself to stop from reaching for her as he knew she would only shove him back again. He answered firmly, fiercely, and with an angry shake of his head, "It doesn't."

For a moment honest and baffled surprise crossed her face, then it shifted to disbelief and complete fury. She shook her own head, her hands curling into tight fists at her side as she snapped back, "My being Grima makes no difference? What I did to you doesn't change _anything_?!"

"You aren't Grima."

"You were there, Chrom!" Skye felt her fragile hold on her temper, on her composure, completely shatter with his taut declaration that proved he did seriously believe in the words he was saying. As much happiness and relief as it brought her to hear that he honestly didn't care about what she was saying, it also infuriated her beyond belief. He was so stubborn, so insistent, and refused to see what she was trying to show him. "You saw her! You heard what was said, and you know full well what the truth of the situation is! Saying something different won't change the truth! I am what I am!"

Chrom's teeth ground together as his anger flared dangerously high, and before he could think better of what he was about to do, he moved forward and with an easy and fierce movement threw her bodily onto their cot. He was on top of her before she could move, and he seized her hands and held them up above her head to stop her from pushing him off before he ducked down and kissed her, killing the protest she had been about to give.

Skye's first reaction was to fight him, to buck him off of her and slam her curled fist with all her strength against his face for daring to try and use his body to win the argument and make her be quiet. His kiss was hot and aggressive, and his hold on her wrists was so tight that it was almost painful as he pinned her to the cot. His tongue parted her lips, wrapping around her own as he straddled her waist, and though she wanted to hit him, wanted to try and escape him, she was surprised when his violence faded to be replaced by sudden gentleness.

His kiss became soft, soothing, and he released her wrists before tracing down her limp arms to cup her face. She felt herself relaxing, made oddly timid by the sweet warmth he offered her in his touch. He pulled away when she stopped struggling, his eyes burning with repressed emotion as she opened her eyes to return his stare. Her breathing was hitched and her expression was pinched and unsure as she whispered, "C-Chrom... Chrom..."

Breathing deeply to steady himself, and more than ashamed for his outburst, Chrom stroked the shape of her swollen lips before answering her call in a low mutter, "I'm sorry... I just... didn't know how to put my feelings into words..." Shaking his head at his self-justification, he gently brushed away the last tear that had fallen down her cheek as he rebuked himself, "No, I shouldn't try and makes excuses. What I did was wrong. Forgive me."

He looked so contrite, so guilty, that Skye felt her ire completely melting away. Though it irritated her a little, she did understand what he had been trying to convey through his actions when he couldn't find the words, and it touched her more than any monologue ever could have. She sighed wearily in defeat, reaching up to rest her hand against his cheek before she scolded him softly, "While I'm not impressed with being thrown on the bed and held down against my will... I know what you were trying to do, and I appreciate the kindness behind it. Just don't do it again. I'll geld you if you do."

Smiling at her wry humour and half-hearted threat despite himself, Chrom nuzzled against her warm palm and kissed the shape of her wrist before seeking out the golden band that wrapped around her finger with his mouth. She blushed at the attention he paid to the ring, and he smiled as he settled her hand back at her side before picking up her right instead. Her eyes widened as he turned it over, and she protested softly as he traced the shape of her brand with his mouth, "Oh, Chrom... No, don't... Please..."

Many a time he had kissed her brand just as she had to his, but now that they both knew where it had come from made the warmth in his touch all the more significant. The acceptance in the act broke her heart, and she felt the pain forming an angry knot in her throat and once more bringing tears to her eyes. He moved his mouth tenderly over the rich violet symbol, his voice matching his touch as he whispered, "I love you, Skye. More than anything... and that will never be swayed. Do you remember what I told Lucina, the day she raised her sword to you?"

Closing her eyes against the tears, against the painful reminder of her daughter's decision to kill her and her acceptance of that judgement, Skye took in several deep breaths to steady herself. She had been ready to die, ready to step into the path of Lucina's blade if her daughter aimed to miss, and that feeling had not changed in the slightest. She couldn't answer him even though she remembered well what he had said to softly scold their crying child, and she murmured weakly as he held her hand in his and refused to let go, "Tell me again..."

"I trust you... and nothing will ever shake my faith in you." Chrom muttered against her hand, and he gave it a gentle squeeze before he reached with his free one to brush her new tears away with his knuckles. She sighed shakily, leaning into his touch, and he continued softly as she peeked up at him through her bangs, "We've held together through everything... and we swore to be two halves of a whole, in life and in love. What you were raised to be... What you were in a different world and different time... Those things don't matter. You're the one who said that we aren't pawns in a scripted destiny, or fate... You rejected yours, and wrote a whole new one to follow. That alone proves you aren't what you think you are."

"How can you put... so much faith in me...? How can you... believe so fiercely... after everything that you've seen...?" Skye asked him weakly, believing him fiercely yet still resisting at the same time. She loved him too much to ever discount what he told her, but what he said hurt as much as it gave her relief. She propped herself up on her elbows, and with a quivering hand she reached out to stroke the shape of his bandages through his shirt. Though the scar was hidden beneath layers of white wrapping and the rough fabric of his shirt, she still could picture it stretching across his broad chest and underneath her fingers. Her voice shook as he took her hand and held it still against the wound she had given him, "After everything that I've done...?"

"Because _you_ put that much faith in _me_. You asked me to leave you behind... and I denied you. You came with me because I believed in you, when you didn't believe in yourself... and you saved my life." Chrom answered her quietly, and he squeezed her hand as she caressed him of her own volition. He knew she would never be able to look at that scar without guilt and pain clouding her eyes, but he refused to let her stew in such feelings for any longer than he could help. "I wouldn't be here today without you. Or any day, for that matter. I've put my life in your hands more times than I can possibly count... It's as natural as breathing to trust my back to you. I couldn't change that, even if I wanted to. It's just something that I do."

Shaking her head even as she let him pull her gently up and into his arms, Skye sighed shakily as she leaned into his warm chest and took the comfort he offered to her. She needed it, needed him, and as his arms wound tightly about her and cradled her close, she knew it was hopeless to try and keep resisting. Long before she had thought about it, she had given everything that she was into his care, and never once had he betrayed her unconditional trust. Still, as she snuggled deeply in his lap and pressed her face into his throat, she mumbled with halfhearted sourness, "Gods, but you're an impossible man... Can you not let me have an argument with you that lasts longer than five minutes?"

Chuckling at her inability to hold that sarcastic tongue of hers, Chrom kissed the top of her head as he leaned somewhat back to get a good view of her face. She was trying to scowl, but her smile shone through as the last of her tears dried on her cheeks. He brushed away the streaks with a careful hand, holding her close with his other as he pointed out, "Any argument we tend to have is solved in less than five minutes because you tend to win all of them."

"Not all of them. You won this one." Skye pointed out with a weak laugh of her own, and she straightened a little before kissing his cheek gently. He smiled in response, and feeling herself falling back into their old pattern, her cheeks warmed in answer and she shook her head again with fond exasperation. He made it to easy to forget, to soften, and she hated him for it as much as she loved him for it. "Quite handily, actually. Even if you cheated."

Laughing again, Chrom gave her a firm squeeze before releasing her entirely and leaning back on his hands. She was smiling cheekily at him, knowing she had him beat, and he accepted his defeat with a mild nod, "I will admit that I did use... unscrupulous methods to win this particular argument, but you have to at least agree that it was necessary considering my track record with words. And as added weight, I did also apologize for those underhanded actions."

Tilting her head to the side, Skye examined his pose and the tenseness in his upper body even though it was a look of relaxation she was much used to seeing. Though he had been handling himself with ease since she had saw him, there was an obvious stiffness in him now that spoke of the pain he was still carrying from the wound in the Dragon's Table. Narrowing her eyes, she reached out again and lightly, with a feather's weight, traced the area she knew had to be hurting him the most. "Does it... hurt badly?"

"Not as much as before." Chrom answered her truthfully, knowing she would hear the lie in his voice and only grow irritated at his attempt to console her. She trusted him to give her his honesty, and so he gave it to her even though he knew it would pain her to hear it. Her frown deepened, but to his relief she didn't pull her hand away as he continued in explanation, "Lissa did a good job healing me earlier, and the wound is closed now. Within a few days I should be back to my full strength, if I continue to go for treatment. Knowing you, Lucina, and Morgan, I won't miss a single visit."

The joke earned him the tiniest quirks of her lips, but her eyes remained troubled as she gazed at his torso. He knew what she was picturing, but he was still surprised when she leaned forward, her hands steadying herself by reaching for his shoulders, and ducked down to press her lips tenderly to the centre of his chest. He stiffened automatically, unsure of how to react, but then it didn't matter as she whispered into his shirt, "Can I... take this off of you? I... want to see you."

Never able to resist her, Chrom simply nodded in answer. She leaned him back onto the bed, taking great care not to jostle him as she tugged at the hem of his shirt. Slowly, with a patience and care that spoke of her limitless affection, Skye pulled his shirt off and over his head, baring him to her gaze before she dropped it absently onto the ground beside their cot. He lay still, watching her expression shift through a myriad of emotions as she took in his bandaged torso with her quick and keen gaze.

Her fingers moved without her consent, beginning at his navel where his trousers hugged his hips and his tawny flesh began. She stroked the curve of his muscled stomach, continuously moving north where the bandages began a handful of inches higher. They wrapped all the way up his torso, ending underneath his arms, and she bit her lower lip as she ran her index finger along the centre of the wrappings where she knew his scar lay hidden from her gaze. "I..."

The hesitation in her eyes made him frown, and though she didn't remove her hand from where it had ended, resting over his heart, he knew she wanted to pull it away. Again he placed his hand over hers, pinning it gently where it lay, and he asked softly as his other hand reached up to brush her bangs back and behind her ear, "What is it?"

Face reddening at his touch, Skye met his eyes and found herself helpless to keep her thoughts a secret. He was gazing at her with honest concern, and the navy blue of his gaze was as deep as the ocean. Weakly she raised her hand to hold his against her face, and she answered him softly, sheepishly, "I want to... have you embrace me... but you're hurt... and doing such a thing while you're injured won't help your healing. Honestly, I'm worried that you hurt yourself when you pinned me down. Doing anything more... erm... strenuous really isn't a good idea."

Raising his eyebrows at her choice of words, Chrom wasn't sure if he was amused, exasperated, or aroused. It was an odd mix of all three that made him chuckle and shake his head, but he understood her worry and loved her for the kindness that made her admit her desires and throw them aside at the same time. Laying back on the cot, he stroked her hair lazily as he sighed, "I suppose there won't be any arguing with you to convince you that I'm fine enough to hold you, will there?"

"You can try, but it would be useless." Skye told him with an apologetic smile, and he heaved an exaggerated sigh that made her giggle. She watched him lying beside her, enjoying the feeling of his fingers absently stroking through her hair as he watched her through hooded eyes. She knew he wanted her just as badly, but out of respect he wouldn't push. He had already done enough of that, and though she'd forgiven him for it, he would be careful for the next little while for her.

Resting her hand tenderly on his chest, she joined him lying on the cot before snuggling up against his side. He stiffened for a moment, surprised by her show of affection, and then he smiled before pulling her across his chest to let her use him as a pillow as she so often did when they slept. Nuzzling against the bandages that now pressed against her cheek, Skye kissed the wrappings before sighing quietly, "I love you, you know."

"I've never doubted that." Chrom chuckled softly, kissing the crown of her hair as she wound her arms about his shoulders and hugged him tight. She was soft and warm against him, and he sighed as he felt her curling her legs through his to better feel their connection. "Never."

She shifted slightly in his arms, sighing deeply as she cuddled deeper into his firm embrace. His breathing was deep and even, showing that he was completely relaxed as he held her. His hand was continuously moving over her hair, stroking and running his fingers through her dark curls, and she peeked up at him to notice his eyes were closed. He almost looked as if he was sleeping, and the level of satisfaction in his expression both broke and healed her heart simultaneously.

Skye watched him in silence for a long moment, wondering at the touch in her hair and his heartbeat against her cheek. He was much too kind, always making any and every effort to bring her comfort and soften her anxieties. Even in the beginning it had been him who joined her at the campfire when she stayed up late, unable to sleep as she puzzled over her lost history, over the newness of the things she had to relearn, and soothed her fears. Now, almost three years later, he was still attending to her in the exact same way. He truly was a Shepard, and she was his lost sheep, relying on him for everything because she trusted no one else to bring her home.

Her gaze shifted from his face to the hand that still held onto hers, and she mused as she curled her fingers tighter through his, 'It started this way... My life started with his hand pulling me to my feet... and even now... he keeps pulling me upright whenever I stumble... I don't know what I did to deserve him in my life, but... I'll hold onto him with both hands... And I'll fight any enemy, no matter who it may be, to stay by his side. The gods won't tear me away from him. If he truly wants me with him, at his back, at his side, and in his bed... I won't leave him.'

His arm tightened around her waist, drawing her closer, and willingly she pressed herself against him to the limit. He felt so warm and strong as they lay overtop of the blankets, curled in each other's arms, and his voice was quiet as he muttered into her hair, "You've saved my life so many times that it would be impossible to repay you. I've done all I can to be the best man I can possibly become... so I can stand at your side and not feel ashamed. That feeling, and that desire of mine, has not changed. I am not worthy of you, nor will I ever be worthy of you. But if I can make you smile, and wipe away your tears... then I will hold you close until the day death parts us."

The words, so like the whispered vows they had shared two years ago when the war against Plegia had come to an end touched her as deeply as they had back at the altar. Closing her eyes as a bittersweet warmth surged from her heart, Skye pressed her cheek against his bandages as she answered in kind, repeating the words she had told him as they stood in front of their friends, their countrymen and exchanged their rings and their love, "My life began with you, and I will have it end with you. You're all I know of the past, all I desire of the present, and all I wish for my future. When you fall I'll be your strength, and when you stand tall without my aid, I'll always be at your side. I love you, Chrom. Now and always."

"Now and always."

**AN:**

**Originally this was going to end with smut, but... I wasn't in the mood and it didn't seem proper, so I scrapped it. Seems better this way. (Plus my recent stuff has just been smut. XD I'm worried I'm sending a message that the smut is all I write. I swear I'm not that kind of authoress! -laughter-) I also was going to end it with some song lyrics, but nothing seemed to fit properly, so I scrapped that, too. I'm in a weird head-space right now. I'll probably go back and fix something, but... Meh.**

**So, this is just a filler update in anticipation of my next fic... (By proxy, it's not my best work, either...) By request, it'll be an OliviaxLon'qu shot, with sprinkles of other pairings throughout, but mainly focussed on the dancer and swordsman... I'm a bit concerned with how it'll turn out, since I've never written Olivia or Lon'qu before, even though I ship them dearly. I've gone through their supports, (as well as the two's supports with others) to try and get a feel for them, but I'll admit I'm not confident. Still, I'm posting it. Look forward to seeing it likely within the next week. After that... Well, who knows. Probably another TikixCail fic. I have a few ideas for multi-chaptered work, but nothing is set in stone as of yet... **

**As before, if you have requests that match my pairings (I'm sorry I can't go outside of the box, but my shipping ways **_**are**_** unfortunately set in stone and I just don't like writing anything outside of them!) please feel free to ask! I can't promise I will do them all, or right away, but I do take them into serious consideration, and they help me write! So flood my inbox! :3**

**PS: Shut up kisses are fun. XD  
**

**Mood: Content**

**Listening To: "The Reason" - Hoobastank**

**~ Sky**


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